15 B.C. cities with affordable housing

Mark van Manen, PNG files03.23.2012

15. Courtenay, just over an hour from the BC Ferry terminal in Nanaimo, is likely still mourning the loss of the Lorne Hotel last year, B.C.'s oldest licences drinking establishment that burnt to the ground after 133 years in operation. The city has lots of doctors and a high growth rate (fourth overall of 190 cities) and placed in the top third o[f the survey for its culture.

Mark van Manen
/ PNG files

14. Abbotsford-Mission, two Fraser Valley farming communities, were lumped in as one for MoneySense's survey. Placing 174th overall of 190 cities, there are few new cars and few doctors per 1,000 residents, but for some reason people are moving there: it's 14th in terms of population growth. Better buy that house soon …Ric Ernst
/ PNG files

13. Parksville has less crime than all but 44 of the 190 cities in the survey, but lost ground for the small number of new cars about, its high jobless rate and its low income (possibly because of the number of retirees that choose to live there), placing 148th overall.Kent Kallberg
/ PNG files

12. Campbell River is another of those places in a beautiful part of the world that placed fairly low on the MoneySense survey. Under two hours from the BC Ferries terminal in Nanaimo, "Scramble Creek" was cited for low income, a high jobless rate and high crime, but has lots of doctors (44th on list of medical practitioners per 1,000 population) and is just up the road from Miracle Beach, maybe the most gorgeous stretch of beach anywhere.Handout
/ DFO

11. Kamloops is Canada's 44th best city to live in according to MoneySense. About four hours from Vancouver, it's got fairly high population growth (31st of the 190 cities in the survey), likely attributable to the beautiful weather (24th on the survey) and its cheap housing (139th in Canada).Ian Lindsay
/ PNG files

10. Chilliwack placed 175th overall on this survey of 190 cities, but just below No. 1 Ottawa (?), in terms of housing affordability. The Wack, as some locals call it, is middle of the pack in terms of population growth, but is just over an hour's drive from downtown Vancouver so some people have been known to choose cheaper housing and a loooong commute.Nick Procaylo
/ PNG files

9. Poor Williams Lake, home of the Stampede. Sure it's affordable, but it was slammed by MoneySense for its low income, low population growth, high crime rate, dearth of doctors, bad weather, high jobless rate … the Chamber of Commerce is displeased. At least its residents can hop on their horses and go enjoy the great outdoors.Handout
/ PNG files

8. Prince George placed around the middle of the 190-city pack as far as household income, and it was cited for a fairly high crime rate, but its residents have a high amount of discretionary income and it's in the top third of Canadian cities for number of doctors per 1,000 population. Plus it has the University of Northern B.C.Handout
/ UNBC

6. Terrace ranked 169th overall in the 190 city survey conducted from MoneySense's Toronto offices. They say it has a relatively high jobless rate, bad weather, high crime … but they own their homes and just have to step outside to enjoy the great outdoors.Jeff Nagel
/ Special to The Sun

5. Incomes, and discretionary income, are fairly high in Fort St. John, it's weather places it in the top half of the pack of the 190-city survey, and it's population is growing quicker than two-thirds of the cities cited by MoneySense. So it may not be the 100th most affordable city in Canada for long.Mark van Manen
/ PNG files

4. Dawson Creek seems to have a fair amount going for it, placing in the upper third in discretionary income, population growth and culture, and the ability for its residents to walk/bike to work. Plus it's ranked 97th in Canada for affordable housing.Don Pettit
/ Handout

3. Tied for most affordable housing in Canada at 74th overall with Repentigny, Que., Powell River is a ferry ride away from everywhere. It ranks dead last of 190 cities in the survey for new cars and is also fairly low on the culture rating, but is 44th in terms of numbers of doctors per 1,000 population.Handout
/ PNG files

2. You won't likely walk to work in Quesnel, about an eight-hour drive north of Vancouver, the survey points out, placing it 146th in that category, but most families can afford to buy a house in the 50th most affordable city in Canada. Probably because there are fewer new cars there than all but one of the 190 cities in the survey. But if you have lakes like these, who needs a new car?Handout
/ PNG files

1. Prince Rupert, known as the City of Rainbows, is the 48th most affordable city in Canada, but gets a bit of a raw deal from the MoneySense survey. The northern port town has a household income in the lower third of the 190 cities that were cited, the magazine notes a high crime rate and a low population, it gets fairly low grades for culture, but on the upside, is fourth in the country for walking/biking to work.Jason Payne
/ PNG files

15 B.C. cities with affordable housing

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